Guided Reading Lesson Plan

Teacher Name: Mrs. Pierce

Course: Methods of SS and ELA

Date: 9/28/15
Grade Level: 4

Lesson Length: 55 minutes

Concept or Skill: Understanding Characters
Materials/Technology Needed: Textbooks, projector
Sources Consulted: Journeys, Common Core
Learning Objective:
SWBAT use details to describe a character or event
SWBAT use facts and details to support reasoning
Language Objective:
SWBAT write a paragraph describing what it means to fit in.
Standard(s) Addressed:
RL.4.3-Describe a character, setting or event, drawing on details
W.4.1a-Introduce a topic, state an opinion, and create an organizational structure
W.4.1b-Provide reasons supported by facts and details
W.4.9a-Apply grade 4 Reading standards to literature
SL.4.1a-Come to discussions prepared/explicitly draw on preparation and other information about the topic
Accommodations:
J.ST and Henry will each be given a single Popsicle stick during discussion to be a reminder that they can only
speak one time until after everyone else in the table has talked
B and NP will need to work with either myself or Lisa when writing their paragraphs.
Assessment(s):
Students will do a ticket-out-the-door to describe Stormalong character based on textual evidence
LESSON
ELEMENT
Pre-Reading

DETAILS
In table groups students will touch each page of the story remembering what
was important in the story and understanding the flow of the story.
We are going to brainstorm examples of other stories from various cultures
that have been passed down from generation to generation. With a partner
spend a few minutes talking about tales you have heard that remind you of
Stormalong.
1

TIME
15 minutes

After 1 minute of conversation, ask: What do you similar in the characters in

Stormalong and the story you shared with a partner? This will be answered
in whole class discussion.
Classroom Conversation
I want you to look at page 156, there are 3 questions. Lets read them
together:
1. What do you think was the authors purpose for writing this story?
2. What made Stormalong such a legend among sailors?
3. Do you think Stormalong ever felt as if he belonged? Tell why or
why not.
Pause after reading the questions
In your tables, I want you to work through these questions. One person will
record a brief answer and another member of your group will share with
the class what your group talked about. Here are the rules: Every member
of your group answers each question.
After the groups are finished, I will have the presenter from each group share
with the class how they answered the questions.

20 minutes
During Reading

At the end of page 140 in students books, have a student read analyze the text
box.
Hyperbole-where in the text are the features of characters, events or settings
exaggerated? What effect do these examples of hyperbole have on the story?
Hyperboles are common in Tall tales.
What Examples of hyperbole can you find in the text? (an eighteen foot tall
baby; a baby with a voice as loud as a foghorn)
What do the examples tell you about the baby? (The baby is huge, has a loud,
booming voice, and needs to be fed a lot of milk)
What effect do these examples of the hyperbole have on the story? (They
make the story funny; the reader knows from these examples that the story is a
tall tale; the hyperbole makes the story interesting to read)
On page 143 read the Analyze the text feature box.
The point of view of a story is the standpoint from which it is written.
Sometimes authors write from the point of view of one of the characters. At
other times, authors narrate stories as if they were outside observers.
Is Stormy telling the story? How do you know? (Stormy is not telling the
story because the author uses the words he and him to describe Stormy; if
Stormy were the narrator, the author would use the words I, me and My instead.
If Stormy isnt telling the story, who is? How do you know? The story is told
my an outsider. The author uses the words He and him to describe Stormy.
Why do you think the author tells the story from the third-person point of
2

view? (In Stormalong the author may have wanted readers to know what
people think of Stormy. The author needed to describe Stormalong using
hyperbole)
Expression
Read aloud the text on Page 145 while students follow along. Model how to
use expression to bring the characters to life and to draw listeners into the
story.
Reading with expression reflects the characters feelings and makes the
story more enjoyable. A tall tale is meant to be read for enjoymentgood
readers use appropriate emphasis, volume, and pace to produce good
expression and make the story more enjoyable. Reading with expression
also helps to make the characters thoughts and feelings more clear. Lets
practice reading page 145 all together with expression
Stop on page 149 and distribute Graphic Organizer 1
Readers can infer what characters are like from specific details about their
thoughts, words, and actions. Display projectable 5.2 We will work together
to complete it suing information from the story.
First, what are some thoughts that Stormy has had?
Second, what have we heard Stormy saywe can put his words in the
second column.
Third, what actions have we seen from Stormy?
As students respond to the questions through group discussion write their
answers on our class projectable on the board.

After Reading

Write about reading:

Students will skim back through the text and record at least three examples
of how Stormy struggles to fit in. Ask have you ever felt that you didnt fit
in? Do you think it is important to fit in? Why/why not?
Students will write a paragraph about why Stormy struggled so much. The text
reminds students to use details from the story to support their answers. Also,
they should include their thoughts about why people feel the need to fit in.
Remember, you need to incorporate the ideas you just found into your
paragraph. Write a topic sentence, and make sure to have a good
conclusion sentence.
3

20

(This weekend I will write a sample paragraph and will have that to display and
model what I am asking of them, and can re-submit the lesson then)

Assessment/
Closure

Ticket out the door on the way to recess:

Tell me one thing about Stormys character, and cite the evidence from the text
to support the character trait you have chosen.

Post-Lesson Reflective Thoughts:

Post-Lesson Suggestions for Revision:

Lesson plan directly follows that of Unit 1, Lesson 5 in the Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Journeys (Common Core) book. Not
my original work.